Griggs courier., 1887-12-23

- s 80 a NJ
would sse Dor,. tue srst thing in the morn
Ing and explain 1t '' 'l5 aSt
When couple OF hours after sunrise N.
sDlAke opened his heavy eyes on New Years
morn, they rested at once on, q framed por-
trait hanging against the opposite wall
Whore had It come from Who was II In
tended for? &ss {. S
/ For closer view showed the Doctor that
the general contour Of the features were hls
own SO also was the blonde mustache, but
here to his own mind the resem blance
ceased The likeness between himself and
his nephew Paul had often been comment
ed on This picture might have been Paul
with twenty years added to his age, or him
self with ten subtracted
With sad smile Doctor Blake read the
inscription on . card pinned ON the frame.
A New Years' gift for my (*dear" erased)
guardian from his (~a6ectionates erase()
ward ,
1t is plain that Doris forte L. not por-
trait painting he said, with very audible
sigh And then wondering how he should
introduce the awkward explanation he was
meaning to make. the doctor went down to
breakfast
Replying rather curtly to Nra Mack's af-
fectionate New Years greeting, Dr. Blake
looked about the room. a... ~
Mss Doris not down yet?s he said. with
affected carelessness
Ara Mack drew herself up primly
Sarah tells me, Doctor, that at sunrise
this morning she let Miss Doris oat at the
front door fully dressed for travelling and
carrying large hand sachel She gave no
explanation, but simply said she was going
away for good, and in due time would write
NO AvHN rv0,S tH~n &C. ia
saw Mr. Paul Blake with young lady who
exactly answers her description getting into
the Boston train at Gas, incline to the
opinion that they have gone of to get mar
ried.s
DR.: Blake, who had himself well in hand,
made no audible comment on this surpris-
ing bit OF news, which in reality was the
final blow to his vague hopes And Mrs
Muck, tucking tiny, tear -blotted note ad-
dressed to DR. Paul Blake q little further
down in her pocket, noted with inward sat
isfaction that his appetite appeared in NO
way impaired by what he had heard
I'VE will have q talk when come in
from my calls, Mrs Mack, !" he said, with his
usual courtesy; but the widow thought she
detected an undertone of warmth in his
speech. and her hopes ran higher than
ever
ASOO Wso W0lSIuS eA40 OOCGOIb b appearance
In the office with manifest impatenca /,
was evident that he had nerved himself up
to the fulfillment Of some important duty,
regardless Of consequences
sLook here, Doctor, he said, in cautious
undertone, the moment DR.. Blake had
closed the door behind him; there's things
that's got to be said, whether you think I'm
interferin' with what's none of my biz
ness or not Fust and foremost, you've let
Mis- Mack drive Miss Doris away from the
Nothing of the sort, Bob, sharply inter-
1upted Dr.. Blake sMiss Doris has-bas
run of with my nephew, Paul, to be mar
ried."
Beggin' your pardon. but she ain't,"
coolly returned Bob, who was nothing IL
not blunt spoken. Mr.. Paul's been an
Hoped with Judge Haynes daughter, which
is jest wild about it; every body's talkin' Of
1t downtown"
Dr. Blake fell INTO the nearest chair
and sat staring speechlessly at Bob, who,
with great inward gustO, went on:
- Seems he told Miss Doris all about it.
and she tried to get him OF the notion, but
twasn't no use. So hem Miss Haynes has
gone of to Boston to get married, and Miss
Doris she's took the train to Portland, where
she's had offer for to teach music and
drawin' in the Presbyterian Institute"
"How do you know all this. BODY"
hoarsely demanded Doctor Blake, feeling
as though every thing was slipping from
under his feet
Didn't Miss Doris tell me last night
when she got me to hang your p.cyel
In your bedroom on the sly. and she crying
like her heart was a-breakingp boldly re-
turned Bob; land didn't she say she hadn't
no home here any longer, now that you
was gotn' to m lrry MIRA Mack? But I've
writ q note that'n explain it ALL she says.
and Doctor Blake'n find it under his plate
In the morning"
doctor Blake did not wait for further
explanations Ten minutes later he had
left the house, caught the 9:15 express for
Portland and reached !. there by i n =
Dressed in her best, Mrs Mack sat in the
parlor New Years night impatiently await
ing Dr.. Blake's coming She knew that he
had been invited to dine out, and his pro-
longed absence did not surprise her. So
absorbed was Mrs Mack in pleasant day
dream that she did not notice the arrival !
and departure of hack which had depos-
tied gentleman and lady at the door. That |
the gentleman was DR.. Blake was evident
by the fact that he let himself and his com.
panion in with night key. Who the lady
might be is probably apparent to the dullest |
Still taken up with her castle building the
widow, blissfuly Unconscious of i'm
pending ruin, turned her head lanRuidly a.
the door opened.
''Dr. Blake-and Mss Doria'
This was the startled exclamation which